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Something of a contrast to my walk of the previous weekend in Kintail. As we welcomed the return of GMT the walk of choice this weekend was Ben Avon, approached via Glean an t-Slugain, with the option of the Fairy Glen either on approach or return. A long walk, but one I was pretty sure I could get completed before the shock of that first ‘winter’ evening hit. And if I had it in me I might also tack on Beinn Bhuirh as well
Not that I was quite so upbeat at 2.00 am (or was that 3.00 am, I was confused?) on Sunday morning when my alarm went off
At that particular moment I was wondering why stamp collecting or train spotting or some other such possible interest hadn’t appealed to me instead of something that brought with it such unsocial hour
A pretty uneventful drive to Braemar and the car park at Keiloch. I’ve done the route so many times of late I know it like the back of my hand and could do it with my eyes shut – as my mother would have said
Parking up just after 6.00 am it was still dark and mine was the only car in the car park. A quick 40 winks and trusty porridge when I woke up and that was me ready to go.......
Starting off there were plenty of breaks in the cloud, although the surrounding hills all seemed to have a fair splodge of cloud covering their summits. With a long walk into Avon I was ever hopeful that the cloud might lift and I’d be rewarded for my efforts with some good cloud free views on the summit.
- Starting off
- Autumn colours
- The track ahead
- View back
- Sunshine!
- More sunshine....and blue sky too
And it was fair breezy too on the approach tracks. Certainly the most low level wind I’d had in a long while, which left me wondering what it might be like on the summit
The walk up into Glean an t-Slugain is initially on tarmac and then gives way to an excellent landrover track. This eventually is replaced by the usual standard of landrover track that you come to expect on these walks, but it was never bad or difficult to walk on. I dropped down to the ruin at Slugain, which was a bit of a disappointment
It didn’t look that exciting, although its position was pretty impressive, in the narrowing at the head of the Gleann, feeling quite enclosed.
- Gleann an t-Slugain
- Slugain ruin
Heading up from the Glean the path took me up on to the plateau of what I imagine is the head of Glen Quoich. This had an excellent path, which took me easily nearly all the way toward the Sneck (by which point it had returned me to my usual bogginess
As I arrived on this plateau initially I have to say my heart did sink a little. Already this had been a fairly long hike, and as I looked across to Avon a Bhuird I couldn’t help thinking
“they’re miles away!” The temptation to simply turn tail and head back was strong, but actually the path is excellent and the walking is on pretty level ground so progress was nice and quick.
- Initial view up Glen Quoich
- Getting closer, but still a ways to go
- Glas Allt Mor
- Looking back from near the Sneck
In many ways this is my sort of countryside. The long walk in meant that I was miles from civilisation. The mist in and around the hills and up on the Sneck added to the sense of remoteness and isolation. The sound of the water coming down off the Glas Allt Mor and its various tributaries as I headed to the Sneck is my sort of soundtrack to any walk!!! Despite being a little put off by the walk to the head of Glen Quoich I was now feeling pretty buoyed and was really enjoying the day.
- Burn near the Sneck
And it seemed as I headed toward the Sneck that the cloud was always rising. I never really seemed to be heading into the clag. The thought was entering my head that I might get lucky and enjoy some cloud free views. At the Sneck itself the mist seemed to come and go, with some nice views of the tor on the saddle.
- The Sneck Tor
Arriving at the Sneck itself and my breath was taken away. By the wind
It was pretty severe at this point and I did doubt for a few moments if it was sensible to head up onto the main summit plateau of Avon and try for the summit. As I started the slow walk up the path onto Avon it was something of a battle. Walk one way and the wind seemed to be trying to blow me off the cliffs into Slochd Mor . Walk in the other direction and I could barely breath with the force of the wind pumping air into my lungs. Eventually though it seemed to calm itself. Or was I just becoming accustomed to it?
- Path starting up Avon
- Slochd Mor from the Sneck
- Beinn a Bhuird from the Sneck
- View heading up onto Avon
Unfortunately my hope of a cloud free view at the top looked doomed as the mist was now persisting. At least I was able to make out the path, but I can see why the Cairngorms is such a touch place in difficult conditions, as making anything out in think clag on the featureless summits must be horrendous.
- Avon path in the mist
And then the massive tor of Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe loomed out of the clag. Amazingly, when the mist did roll in at its worst it was surprising how easily this massive rock formation seemed to just disappear.
- Leabaidh an Diamh Bhuidhe
- Avon summit
Despite the mist, and the wind, I actually spent quite a while at the summit scrambling about the rock. Unfortunately, given the strength of the wind I couldn’t stand at the highest point of the tor. I scrambled up to within touching distance, but as I poked my head up above the rocks for the final push the wind was doing its best to low it off my shoulders.
- The Tor high point.....so near, yet so far
- Looking back to the summit Tor
With apologies to all you aficionados out there I’m still claiming this one as a Munro ticked off the list
Had it not been for the wind I would have happily scrambled the final few feet to the top.
I’d already decided that Beinn a Bhuird wasn’t on the cards today, as the cloud on that hill looked pretty fixed and I didn’t fancy getting lost up there!!! So it was just a case of the 10 or so mile walk back to the car
Queue hysterical laughter
At least the weather was holding up and as I dropped down out of the clag the views gave me the encouragement I needed to push on back to the car park.
- Heading home
Despite sore, tired legs I somehow found the desire to jog along track for in a few short bursts. I should have been on my knees, but I was feeling remarkably alive and making good progress back down the track
Back at the Slugain ruin I noticed a 4x4, which I assumed to be that of an estate worker. Just as I was about a couple of miles from the end they drew up beside and tempted me with the offer of a lift to the car park.....
....Fear not though reader, I didn’t give into temptation, despite it being a very nice offer. As I politely declined the lift I could hear the soles of my feet and my calves screaming at me
“yes, just take the lift you stupid oaf ”
- So, that;s what Lochnagar looks like!!
Back at the car and it was time to reflect on a great walk to herald the onset of winter. For some reason, and I can’t for the life of me say why, I chose not to investigate the Fairy Glen. But with Beinn a Bhuird to return to hopefully next year I have the perfect excuse to spend a bit more time in explorer mode.